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Higher Education/Non-Profit Leadership

Session: Transformative Leadership for Justice and Sustainability

Revolutionize, Not Reform : Liberated Leadership

    Presenter(s)

  • Rachel Phelps, DSW, LMSW

    Assistant Professor | Executive Director | Adjunct Instructor
    Blooming Brilliance Co., Fort Hays State University, University of Kansas, School Social Work Association of America

Traditional leadership can be hierarchical, ableist, and exclusionary. This radical 15-minute session introduces liberated, neuroaffirming, and disability-justice-centered leadership, prioritizing interdependence, trauma-informed leadership, and systems change. Participants will leave with one bold leadership shift to champion disability justice, neuroaffirming leadership, and collective liberation in social work.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, attendees should be able to:
  1. Upon completion, the participant will be able to: Critique traditional hierarchical leadership models by identifying their ableist, exclusionary foundations and describing their impact on disabled and neurodivergent leaders.
  2. Upon completion, the participant will be able to: Apply neuroaffirming, trauma-informed, and relational leadership strategies to dismantle oppressive leadership structures and practices.
  3. Upon completion, the participant will be able to: Commit to one radical leadership shift by developing a tangible action step that fosters disability justice, interdependence, and collective liberation in their workplace or practice.